Are Redcat RC Cars Any Good?

RC vehicles are miniature versions of cars or trucks that can be controlled with a remote. RC racing is a popular hobby among a large number of people. Even if you are new to RC car racing, you will soon know that the two largest companies that make these vehicles are Traxxas and Redcat Racing. 

Both companies make products that substantially differ from each other in many aspects. Your decision on which company’s product you should buy would depend on what you are looking for. Traxxas is known as an expensive brand while Redcat Racing often offers their products at an affordable price.

Regardless of whether you are a beginner or a pro, Redcat might have an RC vehicle that will work great for you. 

So, are Redcat RC cars any good? There are a variety of factors and some personal opinion that goes into whether they are good or not. Most of Redcat’s RC vehicles are rated 4 out of 5 stars by consumers so to most people that would definitely be considered good. 

There are some specific things that you should consider before deciding whether you think Redcat’s RC cars are good. We will discuss those in detail in the rest of this article. 

To see the most popular Redcat RC cars just click here.

Experience and prices

Redcat RC cars are relatively new entrants in the world of RC cars as it only started in 2005.. Redcat makes its products from some parts which may not be the best in quality. However, their RC cars also cost a lot less compared to the other premium brands on the market. 

It can definitely make sense to invest in a cheaper brand if you have just started this hobby as wrecking a cheaper RC car is a lot better than buying an expensive one and wrecking it because of inexperience. 

Redcat also makes premium RC cars, but their primary focus is on low to mid-range products. Thus, it is an excellent option for beginners. Of all the low-priced RC vehicles, Redcat is your best bet as some of their low-priced RC cars are extremely durable as well. The size of these products is decent too. 

Redcat RC cars are ready to race out of the box and this is incredibly helpful for beginners, as, with larger brands, the car, the batteries, and the accessories need to be ordered separately. Not having the extra setup time or cost is a huge advantage when you are starting out. Redcat RC cars are a very cost efficient option and you will have a hard time finding a major RC brand with cheaper options. 

Customer experience

The best way to understand the pros and cons of any product is to simply scan the reviews of people who have already used the product. One of the major complaints regarding Redcat RC cars seems to be the quality of the build. The warranty period for these cars is very short and the warranty covers only defects but not damage. This makes sense of course except since the vehicle isn’t as high quality they are damaged much easier than cars from more expensive brands. 

The company claims that any damaged part can be easily replaced but many customer’s experiences reveal that it can often be quite a task to find the spare parts. Some parts are found only at Redcat stores and they can cost quite a bit. This sort of nullifies the unbelievably low prices the RC vehicles are sold at.

Also, when the spare part(s) is damaged, you can upgrade the parts. While parts of the car/truck seem to break off within a few weeks of use, upgrades such as the brushless motor system do not help much to get rid of the breakage of the RC car’s body. 

Many people have experienced issues right off the bat, with problems such as wobbly tires when the product was just taken out of the package. This is a serious problem; when tires are unstable, the car/truck will likely veer off the path leading to further damage.

While the above are issues that some people have reported other customers have had only great things to say about their Redcat RC car. Ultimately you have to read the reviews for yourself and see what you think. 

The Redcat Racing Volcano

The Volcano is one of the most popular RC vehicles made by Redcat Racing. It is a monster-style RC truck and although it is not built to run on dirt tracks, it is great for general bashing. Iit can run over obstacles with superb stability and is designed for off road use. Some of the huge positives of this truck are a decent top speed and stellar durability. The truck is capable of maintaining a constant speed and not wobbling even on uneven terrains.

The truck’s wheels are quite large, and it has a well-balanced independent suspension. The large wheels contribute to the durability of the truck as any damage is absorbed by the huge wheels or the suspension, This helps to keep the actual body of the truck safe from abuse. 

The chassis and the shell have a great ability to deflect damage when the truck flips or rolls over. Also, the truck has sealed electronic casings to protect it from water, debris, etc…

Now coming to the limitations of this model, the truck has a rechargeable NiMH battery. With the Volcano, you will have at most 7-10 minutes of runtime before your truck needs to be charged again. Taking it out for longer drives would require you to carry extra batteries.

If you are a beginner or want an RC car to simply play around with your friends, the Redcat Racing Volcano is a fine choice. However, if you decide to get more competitive in your racing, you might want to consider other brands that have RC cars with better bodies and specs. 

More information about the Redcat Volcano as well as the reviews for it can be found on Amazon here. 

You can also see the Redcat Volcano in action in the video below. 

Conclusion

While it is true that Redcat cars are available at pocket-friendly prices, do not forget the fact that you will be spending a lot more trying to fix the damages that you do to the vehicle. The cars seem to be quite fragile, with parts breaking off after only a few hours of use. Since breakages aren’t covered under warranty, you will be forced to spend extra bucks on replacing the spare parts. Also, many of the spare parts are available exclusively at Redcat stores.

If you have issues with the damage, the aftermarket support doesn’t seem to be very good either. There are multiple complaints from Amazon customers regarding futile efforts to contact customer support. 

If you do not mind spending those extra bucks to fix the vehicle or if you believe that you can keep the risks at bay with good maintenance and being careful while driving then go ahead. It is a good idea to start with a cheaper model though and then you won’t be as disappointed if it does have issues in the future. 

While it may still be a good option for beginners or for bashing around the park, Redcat RC cars aren’t something that you will want to use forever. Most people will start with a cheaper option such as Redcat and then move up to a more expensive RC car as they get more into the hobby. 

Happy racing!